(First Edition of this tract 1969, with over 700,000 in print. Second Edition 1971, revised
with added information. Not to be reprinted without permission of the author.)
 

By Pastor E. L. Bynum

Many have asked about a widely circulated modern version of the New Testament called "GOOD NEWS FOR MODERN MAN -- The New Testament in Today's English version." (Hereafter referred to by TEV). We have good reason to reject this faulty version.
 

PREACHERS ARE SLIPPING FAST

In 1952, the National Council of Churches published the "REVISED STANDARD VERSION" (RSV). The RSV was a modernistic version, translated by liberal theologians, and published by the ultra-liberal National Council of Churches. Many Bible believing preachers exposed the RSV, but few have protested against the TEV, even though it is more modernistic than the RSV. However, some are waking up to this modern perversion of God's Word.

 

THE VIRGIN BIRTH AND THE TEV

The TEV reveals a bias against the word "virgin." In the "King James Version" (hereafter referred to by KJV), we find "virgin" 14 times in the New Testament. The TEV removes "virgin from 11 of these places, and retains it in only 3 of these passages.

KJV Luke 1:27, "To a virgin espoused . . . the virgin's name was Mary."

TEV Luke 1:27, "He had a message for a girl . . . The girl's name was Mary."

This substituting of "girl" for "virgin" should be enough to convince the Bible believer to reject the TEV. Many girls are not virgins.

 

TEV CHANGES IN THE SECOND EDITION

The TEV was copyrighted in 1966 by the American Bible Society. A "Second Edition" was printed in 1968 under the 1966 copyright. The two editions are almost identical in appearance. There is nothing in the preface or anywhere else that would indicate the vast difference in the translating of Luke 1:27 in these two editions

1966 Edition, TEV, Luke 1:27, "He had a message for a virgin . . .The virgin's name was Mary."

1968 "Second Edition", TEV, Luke 1:27, "He had a message for a girl . . . The girl's name was Mary."

Please note that "virgin" is found twice in the 1966 edition, and removed twice in the 1968 "Second Edition." There is no explanation of this wicked changing of God's Word. Please note the following quotation from the preface of both editions.

"The text from which this translation was made is the Greek New Testament prepared by an international committee of New Testament scholars, sponsored by several members of the United Bible societies, and published in 1966 . . .

"The basic text was translated by Dr. Robert G. Bratcher . . . "

 

WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE CHANGE?

If "virgin" (parthenos) was in the Greek text of the 1966, how did it get out in 2 years? Modern English has not changed that much in 2 years. What kind of a translator would put "virgin" in the text in 1966 and take it out in 1968? We deplore this kind of "scholarship". Was this manipulation of God's Word done to fool fundamental Bible believers? Even the National Council RSV did not remove "virgin" from Luke 1:27. The TEV is just one more attempt to destroy the Word of God and the Deity of our Saviour. the Devil hates the written word and the living Word.

The TEV removes "virgin" from 78% of the places where it is found in the KJV. Now instead of the "Parable of the ten virgins", we now have in the TEV, the "Parable of the ten girls". Shall we call that progress?

"Virgin" is removed in the TEV from Matt. 25:1,7,11; Luke 1:27; Acts 21:9; I Cor. 7:25, 28, 36,37; Rev. 14:4 and Luke 2:36. The TEV leaves "virgin" in I Cor. 7:34; II Cor. 11:2 and Matt. 1:23.

 

"VIRGIN" BELONGS IN ALL 14 PLACES

The Greek word "PARTHENOS" is translated "virgin" 14 times in the KJV. Any reliable translation should do the same. The translator of the TEV has inserted "virgin" in Luke 1:34, where it does not appear in the Greek text. This is interpretation and not translation. Obviously the translator does not believe in verbal inspiration.

 

OTHER ATTACKS ON THE DEITY OF CHRIST

The "Virgin" birth of Christ has been denied by the modernists for many years. Any alteration of the Bible text that gives them another weapon, constitutes another attack upon His Deity. The change of Luke 1:27 is one of these attacks.

The following scriptures reveal an obvious attempt to make it appear that Joseph was the father of Jesus.

KJV Luke 2:33, "And Joseph and his mother marvelled . . . "

TEV Luke 2:33, "The child's father and mother were amazed . . . "

The same kind of a change was made in Luke 2:43. We protest this changing of God's Word.

KJV John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son . . . "

TEV John 3:16, "For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son . . . "

Notice that "BEGOTTEN" has been removed in the TEV. It has also been removed from John 1:14, 18; 3:18; Acts 13:33; Heb. 1:5; 5:5 and 1 john 4:9. "Only begotten" comes from two Greek words, one meaning "alone"&nbspand the other meaning "I am born". When Christ said in John 3:16 that He was the only begotten Son of God, He was claiming to be the only person who ever had God for the father of His physical nature. This is an insistence that He was not Joseph's son or any other man's son, but the virgin born Son of God, conceived in a supernatural way by the Holy Spirit. The Greek word "monogenes", meaning "only begotten", is in the manuscripts and for the translator to leave it out of the TEV is wicked, unscholarly dishonesty.

In John 9:35, the TEV changes "Son of God" to "Son of Man". Time after time the TEV weakens the truth concerning the eternal deity of Christ, in relationship to creation, redemption and other Bible doctrines.

KJV Eph. 3:9," . . . God, who created all things by Jesus Christ . . . " The TEV removes "Jesus Christ". In Col. 1:2 and I Thess. 1:1 the KJV tells us that "peace" comes from "Cod our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ". In both instances the TEV leaves out the "Lord Jesus Christ."

Christ says in KJV Rev. 1:11, ". . . I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last . . . " In the TEV this is entirely left out. Rev. 1:8 we are told that Christ is "the beginning and the ending", but this is removed from the TEV. Rev. 5:14, we are told that the Lamb "liveth for ever and ever", but in the TEV this is omitted. Time after time the TEV omits "Christ" or "Lord" when speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ. The changes are aimed at His deity.

In I Tim. 3:16, "God was manifest in the flesh" is changed to "he appeared in human form". In Acts 2:30 "according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ", has been omitted. In John 16:16 Jesus said, "I go to the Father", which refers to His ascension. The TEV omits this phrase.

KJV John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

TEV John 1:1, "Before the world was created, the Word already existed; he was with God, and he was the same as God."

The TEV inserts "before", "world", and "created", which are not in the Greek text. "Word" is the Greek "Logos" and is found 3 times in the Greek text and 3 times in the KJV, but the TEV omits it 2 times. We strongly object to the TEV changing "the Word was God" to read "he was the same as God." "He was the same as God" does not convey the same meaning as "the Word was God". "The same as", of the TEV is not to be found in the Greek text, and the KJV does present the correct translation. This entire verse has been so worded in the TEV, as to weaken the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. This surely must be the work of 20th Century Arians. In Phil. 2:5,6 the TEV casts grave doubts on Christ being equal with God.

KJV Col. 2:9, "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

TEV Col. 2:9, "For the full content of divine nature lives in Christ, in his humanity."

"The full content of divine nature" hardly equals the more sublime "In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

 

THE TEV AND THE BLOOD

The blood of Christ is offensive to the devil and the modernists. We were shocked when some denominations took the word "blood" out of their song books, and now we see translators taking the "BLOOD" out of the Bible. "Redemption" has been completely removed from the TEV, and "blood" has been removed in many places.

KJV Eph. 1:7, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins..."

TEV Eph. 1:7, "For by the death of Christ we are set free, and our sins are forgiven . . . "

In the above scripture and also in Col. 1:14, "redemption" and "blood" have been omitted in the TEV. The devil must rejoice at this kind of mutilation of God's Word.

KJV Heb. 10:19, "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." The TEV substitutes "death of Jesus" for "blood of Jesus". The TEV destroys the Old Testament type. No matter how many animals had died, the High Priest could not enter the holy of holies without the blood on the day of atonement (Lev. 16:15. " . . . It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." (Lev. 17:11). " . . . without shedding of blood is no remission." (Heb 9:22).

KJV I Peter 1:19, "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of the lamb without blemish and without spot." The TEV omits "blood", by substituting "sacrifice".

KJV Rev. 1:5, " . . . unto him that loved us, and washed us from out sins in his own blood."

TEV Rev. 1:5, " . . . He loves us, and by his death he has freed us from our sins."

"Blood" is also left out of the following passages: Matt. 27:4, 24, 25; Acts 5:28; 17:26; 20:28; Rom. 3:25; 5:9; Col. 1:20; Eph. 2:13 and Rev. 5:9. The TEV retains "blood" in a number of passages, for its complete removal would be too obvious. The above scriptures show that the TEV has removed the blood of Christ from many important places. The Greek word "haima" is found in the above verses, and it should be translated "blood" in every place.

 

PLAN OF SALVATION CHANGED

The TEV not only confuses the reader concerning the Virgin Birth, Deity and blood atonement of Christ, but misleads concerning almost every major doctrine found in the New Testament. Notice how the plan of salvation is confused.

KJV I Peter 2:2, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere mild of the word, that ye may grow thereby."

TEV I Peter 2:2, "Be like newborn babies, always thirsty for the pure spiritual milk, so that by drinking it you may grow up and be saved."

The TEV changed wording makes salvation the result of works. The KJV teaches Christian growth. The TEV translates Acts 2:38 making salvation the result of baptism. In Luke 23:42 the repentant thief says, "Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." The TEV removes Lord by having the thief to say, "Remember me, Jesus, when you come as King!" This is serous error " . . . no man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." (I Cor. 12:3).

After Philip had preached to the man of Ethiopia, he asked Philip to baptize him. KJV Acts 8:37, "And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest." The TEV encloses this part in brackets, which means that it is not in the "oldest and best manuscripts". In the TEV the Ethiopian makes no profession of faith, and yet Philip baptized him. Paul and Silas told the Philippian Jailor, KJV Acts 16:31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved . . ." The TEV leaves "Christ"out of this verse. This is tampering with the plan of salvation.

 

CASTING DOUBTS BY BRACKETS

The TEV casts doubt upon the authenticity of many parts of the New Testament by putting brackets around many verses. We quote from the PREFACE of the TEV: "Verses marked with brackets [ ] are not in the oldest and best manuscripts of the New Testament." This is a suggestion that these verses may not be a part of the Word of God at all. Those who talk about the "oldest and best manuscripts", are generally referring to the Codex Vaticanus and the Codex Sinaiticus. The Sinai manuscript was found by Tischendorf in a bundle of trash in a monastery near Sinai. The Vatican Manuscript is owned by the Roman Catholic Church.

The Vatican manuscript omits Genesis 1:1 through Genesis 46:28; Psalms 106 through Psalms 138; Matthew 16:2,3; Romans 16:24; the Pauline Pastoral Epistles; Revelation; and everything in Hebrews after Hebrews 9:14. It DOES contain the Epistle to Barnabas and the apocrypha. If its the best, then we should cut out of our Bible all of the omissions from Vaticanus and add the Aprocrypha. (Your can already buy the RSV and the New English Bible with the Apocrypha).

The Romanist with his wafer god, his infallible pope, his saint worship, and his purgatory is hardly the one that we can trust to give to us the Bible. The Vatican and Sinai manuscripts are among the worst manuscripts. It is a fact not generally known, that 80 to 90% of all manuscripts in existence today are of the type that the King James Version was translated from (Write us for more information on the manuscripts. - E. L. Bynum).

 

DENYING BY BRACKETS

John 8:1-11 is printed in brackets by the TEV. They are thus denying that the woman taken in adultery belongs in the Bible. The last 12 verses of the book of Mark is in brackets. The TEV ends the book of Mark three different ways. They show Mark 16 ending with verse 8. If you don't like that ending, you can read verses 9-20 as they are printed in brackets, under a subhead which reads, "AND OLD ENDING TO THE GOSPEL". If you don't like it that way, then you may read on through an entirely different verse 9 and 10. This last ending is printed under, "ANOTHER OLD ENDING". What a blasphemous way to treat God's Holy word!

 

THE BIBLE AND SAVING FAITH

Saving faith is produced by hearing the Word of God. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Rom. 10:17. "For by grace are ye saved through faith . . . " Eph. 2:8. When man begins to change the Bible, he is changing the very Word that produces faith. This is one of the blackest sins. The Bible is not the writings of men, "but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." II Pet. 1:21.

Modernists would like to take away the purity and the power of the Word of God. "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." Psa. 12:6. " . . . thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." Psa 138:2. " . . . the scripture cannot be broken." John 10:35.

 

GOD WARNS ABOUT TAKING FROM

OR ADDING UNTO HIS WORD

Not only does the TEV remove many words from the Bible, but it also adds many words. Any reliable translation will mark the words that have been added, which did not appear in the Greek text. In the King James Version this is done by printing the words added in italic letters. Time after time words are added in the TEV, but not one time does the translator reveal what he has added.

KJV Deut. 4:2, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it . . . " KJV Rev. 22:18,19, "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

 

GOD PROMISED TO PRESERVE HIS WORD

"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matt. 5:18. "JOT is for JOD, the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. TITTLE is the little bend or point which serves to distinguish certain Hebrew letters of similar appearance. Jewish tradition mentions the letter JOD as being irremovable; adding that, if all men in the world were gathered to abolish the least letter in the law, they would not succeed. The guilt of changing those little hooks which distinguish between certain Hebrew letters is declared to be so great that, if such a thing were done, the world would be destroyed." - Vincent.

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: BUT THE WORD OF OUR GOD SHALL STAND FOR EVER." (Isaiah 40:8.)

" . . . The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17), is an essential part of the Christian soldier's equipment. Without the Word of God, there is no salvation and no Christian armour. "The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword . . . " Heb. 4:12. Some may desire crooked, bent, and dulled swords, but we prefer the pure sharp Word of God. The false prophets, disguised as translators, are trying to disarm God's people.

 

WHO IS PROMOTING THE TEV?

The TEV has had a wide distribution, with over 25 million being distributed in the first 5 years of its existence. Such phenomenal sales have been unusual to say the least. The American Bible Society has had many helpers in making this circulation possible. Many who consider themselves conservative have joined with liberals in giving the TEV away by the millions. The true conservative Bible believers have been told, "It is nearer to the original," and many have apparently believed this without checking for themselves.

 

THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION

AND THE TEV

The Southern Baptist Convention has done more to promote the TEV, than any other group. We know of no instance where the SBC has ever promoted any other version in this manner. The Southern Baptist of Texas bought and distributed nearly a million and a half copies. The Lubbock Baptist Association bought and distributed 27,800 copies of the TEV. Many of these were given away from door to door. This has been embarrassing to many Southern Baptists who still believe the Bible.

THE BROADMAN PRESS PUBLISHED A SPECIAL EDITION for Southern Baptist. Broadman Press is owned by The SBC. They added footnotes and auxiliary material, but none of the footnotes correct the faulty text. The RSV of the 50's was pushed by the Southern Baptist Book Stores and through their Sunday School publications. It never did gain acceptance among the people. Now they are solving that problem by giving the TEV away by the millions, and this is being payed for by the tithes and offerings of their people.

 

"CATHOLICS GIVE OKAY TO VERSION OF BIBLE"

The above quoted headlines appeared in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal over the name of Louis Cassels, UPI Religion Writer. Mr. Cassels says, "The best-selling Bible translation in history has been cleared for use by Catholics as well as Protestants . . . TEV sales should soar . . . because the translation has received the official approval, or imprimatur, of Cardinal Richard Cushing, the Catholic Archbishop of Boston . . . Cardinal Cushing's expert consultants did not seek a single change in the text of the TEV before approving it for Catholic use."

TEV Matt. 16:18, " . . . You are a rock, Peter, and on this rock I will build my church . . . " This mis-translation of the above verse, leaves the impression that Christ built His Church on Peter. No wonder the Catholics have endorsed this Bible.

The Roman Catholics have endorsed the TEV, and the Southern Baptist are giving it away by the millions. In many instances the modernistic churches of the apostate National Council of Churches have joined in with money and workers to help distribute this very poor translation. Bible believers might well question this strange alliance. The ecumenical movement, with its plans for a ONE WORLD CHURCH, feels compelled to replace the King James Version, with a version that is offensive to no one. We may well be on the look out for other modern "perversions", even worse than the TEV.

Making The Evil Seem Good
In all he did, in all he taught,
He kept this aim in sight;
To get the deeds of darkness done,
Disguised as works of light.
He spread his poison, slow and sure,
Through many a specious sect,
And made the evil seem the good,
Bamboozling God's elect.
--Selected
 

END

 

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